Variable mercury-condenser.



R. SAN MARTIN.

VARIABLE MERCURY CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.9, 1913.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

811 ueutoz lm/knows UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Rm SAN mm, HABANA, CUBA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 JORGE ABALLI, 01' HABANA, CUBA.

VARIABLE MERCURY-CONDENSER.

1,108,793. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 25, 1914 Application filed January 9, 1913- Serial I0- 741,055.

To all whom it may concern: is supported verticall within the casing 1, Be it known that I, RENE SAN MARTIN, by means of the brac et 4, said bracket bea citizen of the Republic of Cuba, residin ing secured to one wall of the casing, by

at Habana, in the Province of Habana an means of the fasteners 5. The exterior of Re ublic of Cuba, have invented certain new the tube 2 is covered for the major portion and useful Improvements in Variable Merof its length with'a suitable metallic coatcury-Condensers, of which the following is mg 6, forming the exterior conductor of the a specification. condenser. ithin the tube 2 a solid cyl- This invention comprehends certain new inder 7 of a somewhat smaller diameter 10 and useful improvements in electrical conthan said tube, and formed of any suitable densers and relates more particularly to a dielectric material, is positioned. A disk 8 condenser having an internal liquid consecured to a bracket 9", said bracket being ductor, for use with high potential electric fastened to the wall of the casing 1, may be currents, such as are used in connection with used, if desired, to stead the tube 2 and the various forms of telephony and in all solid cylinder 7. This dis fits loosely withthose circuits where a'varlable condenser is in the top of the tube 2 and is formed with needed. a central projection 9, which fits within a One of the objects of the invention is to circular recess formed in the top of the rovide a condenser of this type, which shall cylinder 7. It is to be understood that this he of very simple constructlon, compact in method of steadying the tube and cylinder 76 form, having a capacity which may be is purely optional and may be varied or varied all de between zero and the full dispensed with entirely, without affecting in capacity of t e apparatus, and having little any way the value of the condenser.

or no liabilit of breakage of the dielectric, A connecting pipe or tube 10 communi- 25 due to the high potential strains. cates at one end with the annular chamber It is well known that the ordinary type of 11 formed between the cylinder 7 and the Leyden jar condensers now in common use interior wall of the tube 2 and communicates take up a great deal of room; are subject to at His other end with the bottom of a cylinbrush discharges or short circuits of high drlcal container 12. The container is sup- 30 resistance between the inner and outer coatported upon suitable legs 13 and has its ings; and that their inner coatings are subupper end open, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. ject to a strong chemical action, owing to A piston 14 is slidably movable within said the constituents of the air being decomposed container, and carries with it a piston and the ions of the composition attacking rod 15, which is pivotally connected at 35 the said coatings to such a degree that it is its outer end to a pitman 16. The upper next to impossible to keep them intact. My end of the pitman is eccentrically connected invention is designed to overcome these 0b to the disk 17 by means of the pin or fasjections as well as similar objections comtener 18. This disk is rotatable with a shaft mon to other commercial types of condensers 19, said shaft projecting through a bearing 40 and I accomplish my object by the appara- 20 and one wall of the casing 1 and bein tus to be hereinafter described. provided upon its outer end with a ban Referring to the accompanying drawings, wheel 21. A liquid conductor 22, preferably Figure 1 is a, vertical sectional view. partly mercury, is placed within the container 12 in elevation, of my improved condenser and and may be made to flow in any suitable 45 the casing therefor. and, Fig. 2 is a horiamount into the chamber 11, by actuating zontal sectional view through the condenser I the pi$t0n 14. The condenser formed by the proper. metallic coating 6, the dielectric tube 2, and Referring in detail to the drawings by the liquid conductor in the chamber formed numerals, l designates a casing here shown within said tube by the cylinder 7, will 50 as rectangular in cross section but which change its electric capacity in direct pros may be made of any desired shape, as well j portion with the amount of mercury let as any desired material. A cylindrical tube into the said chamber. 2 open at its top, having a spheroidical i 23 and 24 are leads to the exterior and in bottom 3, and formed of any dielectric matcrior conductors, respectively. 55 terial, such as glass, hard rubber, mica, etc., I The mercury presents a continuous layer 11c terial of which the tube tel with a mirror surface in directcontact with the dielectric of the condenser, thus avoiding the injurious space which exists between any two solids in contact, and which, in the case of acondenser, causes the potential accumulated in the dielectric to tend to puncture it and cause a short circuit. This intimate contact of the mercury with the dielectric, produces a condenser of a relatively large capacity, since the capacity of a con denser is inversely proportional to the thickness of the dielectric. In my condenser the thickness of the dielectric is reduced by the actual contact between this dielectric and the mercury to the real thickness of the ma- 2 is formed. This feature of my invention 1 consider of extreme importance.

The surface of the mercury within the annular chamber 11 forms a convex meniscus, having no angles, edges, etc., and consequently there is no tendency to brush discharges which, however considered, means a loss in efficiency. As the mercury is a very dense liquid, having a specific gravity of 13.5, any insulating liquid will float on its surface and will not have any efiect on the raising or lowering of the level of the 1nercury; this insulating liquid would do away with any chance of loss through the only vulnerable spot, the meniscus, which disappears under said insulating liquid.

In the foregoing description and accompanying drawing 1 have referred to and illustrated only a single unit, but it is to be understood that as many of the tubes 2 and cylinders 7 as are necessary may be used, in order to obtain a known electric capacity. It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction and design of my apparatus as herein shown, but may make such changes as will fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what ll claim is l. A condenser comprising a tubular dielectric open at its upper end and having a spheroidical bottom, means for supporting said tube in a vertical position, a metallic coating surrounding the exterior of said tube, a solid cylindri all member positioned. Within said tube and forming between its exterior and the interior of the tube an annular chamber, a container, pipe connecting the bottom of said container with the bottom of said chamber, a fluid conductor, and means whereby the same may be forced from said container into said chamber.

2. The combination with a casing, of a condenser comprising a tubular dielectric open at one end and closed at the other end, a bracket secured to said casing for supporting the dielectric, a solid cylindrical dielectric positioned within said tube and forming. therein an annular chamber, the top of said last mentioned dielectric being annularly recessed, a second bracket secured to said casing, a disk carried upon said bracket and projecting into the tube and the annular recess formed in said solid cylindrical dielectric, a container, :1 piston slidably movable within said container, means for actuating said piston, said means comprising a rotatable shaft, a disk fixed to said shaft, and a pitman centrally connected to said disk and to the piston; a pipe connecting the bottom of said container with the bottom of the annular chamber, a con ducting fluid adapted to be forced from said container into said chamber, and a conducting coating surrounding said dielectric tube.

3. The combination with a casing, of a condenser including a tubular glass container' open at its upper end, a bracket secured to the casing for supporting the container, a solid cylindrical dielectric posi' tioned Within said tube and forming therein an annular chamber, a conducting fluid within the container, means for varying the height of said fluid, a metallic coating surrounding the container, a lead connected to the metallic coating and a second lead engaging the conducting fluid.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RENE SAN MARTIN.

Witnesses CAYETANO Sooannns, BnUNmo G. GONZALEZ. 

